Jhpiego’s HIV Expert Kelly Curran Named among Leading Women in Maryland

December 05, 2012

Baltimore—Kelly Curran, Jhpiego’s Director of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Diseases, joins a prominent group of business executives, community leaders, health care professionals, educators and lawyers who will be honored Thursday as Leading Women in Maryland by The Daily Record.

The award by Maryland’s leading business newspaper honors young women professionals “for the tremendous accomplishments they have made so far in their career”; the 50 awardees are chosen based on professional experience, community involvement and a commitment to inspiring change.

Curran, who joined Jhpiego 15 years ago and has worked in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, has indeed been an agent of change—directing Jhpiego’s programs in more than 20 countries to prevent the needless deaths of women and families from HIV/AIDS. She is a recognized expert in HIV counseling and testing and voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV prevention to help halt the spread of HIV by 2015, a target of the United Nations sixth Millennium Development Goal. Male circumcision is an unparalleled tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS; research trials have shown the procedure reduces female to male HIV transmission by approximately 60 percent.

Under Curran’s direction, Jhpiego’s efforts to implement medical male circumcision initiatives in four African countries have served 325,773 young men in the past two years, helping to avert an estimated 46,732 new HIV infections by 2025.Curran’s passion, dedication and expertise have made her a respected member of the HIV/AIDS health care community.

“Kelly’s collaborative spirit and inspirational leadership have helped Jhpiego expand our HIV/AIDS efforts and reach those most in need,” said Leslie Mancuso, Jhpiego’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Jhpiego is fortunate to have such a respected member of the Maryland community as part of our team.”

Curran, who is 40, was born in New York and raised in Seattle. She lives with her husband and three children in Montgomery County.

The awards ceremony will be held December 6 at the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor in Baltimore.